Archive for October, 2006

There are certain groups within Christianity and Fundamentalism who assume, if never explicitly state, that to be in the world is not ideal, what is ideal is a “Christian” environment. Perhaps it wouldn’t be expressed in that way, but ultimately I believe that or something very similar is what is being assumed.

Statements regarding state schools, for example, speak of things like “exposure” and “temptation” being worse and stronger than…at a Christian college, specifically, perhaps the secular work place as well. This line of questioning makes no sense to me, in the context of adult age Christians who have been believers for a number of years. Precisely those sorts of situations, living in the world, is why we are here. That is the norm. The exception is those Christians who have the opportunity to minister and work in controlled environments, ones tailored for Christians. Continue reading →

Horatius Bonar, “the prince of Scot­tish hymn write­rs,” grad­u­ated from the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Ed­in­burgh and was or­dained in 1838. He was one of 450 ministers who walked out of a general assembly meeting of the Church of Scotland in 1843 (“The Great Disruption of 1843”) and joined the Free Church of Scot­land. These men were not unlike the separatists of the early 20th century in their detachment from mainline denomination. Of course, Bonar is best known for his more than 600 hymns, like “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say.” Read his words below and prepare to again be overwhelmed by the wonder of the cross: Continue reading →

Sometimes, we need a change. Whether it’s a new haircut, new clothing, new house, or even a new look for your blog–we all enjoy the effect of variety. Our houses of worship often implement the latest in audio and visual technology so that the message of the Bible is clearly and effectively communicated. Change can be very good.

When it comes to worship, however, change often comes to a grinding halt. We have our traditions, passed down through at least decades and perhaps centuries, that we cling to tenaciously. Now, don’t get me wrong–traditions can be very good. Continue reading →

Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to, arguably, one of the best pianists of the last century, if not of all time. Harvey Lavan Cliburn, Jr., is now 72 years old. Since winning the very first Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958, Van Cliburn, as he is known, has performed around the world and for all U.S. presidents since Harry Truman. In 2003, President George W. Bush presented Van Cliburn with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award given in the U.S.

There is a growing movement within Protestant fundamentalism today that holds to a position called theonomy. Theonomy is simply “rule by God’s law.” Sounds innocent enough, doesn’t it? However, “God’s law” for the proponents of this system is the Mosaic law to which all modern law is to be conformed.

Theonomy is part of a larger theological system called Dominionism or Dominion Theology. While you may not have heard of the terms before, you have certainly heard from its proponents. Continue reading →

Warning: This is pure political propaganda! If you’re looking for more spiritually enriching material, check out my past articles!

Frankly, I am weary of the anti-Republican sentiment being communicated by Republicans. Even Ken Mehlman, former GOP Chairman, was lamenting the coming election today and is predicting large losses in Congress. I have heard that anywhere from 7 to 30 seats are in limbo in the US House and that there are at least 9 very competitive races in the Senate. We may lose control of one or both Houses of Congress. Continue reading →